Emmy’s Spaghetti Shack

First time here and it did not disappoint. Loved every dish — stand outs were the pulled pork pappardelle and the Mayan habanero risotto. The drinks were great too, not shy on the pours. It is hard, but leave room for dessert the chocolate truffle cake is a must.

The atmosphere is kitchy in a way that I expect from this part of the California Coast. The staff is attentive and the presentation is top shelf. The portions are gigantic. Our party of three chose to order two plates and share them, family style. We had the (classic) spaghetti and meatballs, with the (waitress recommended) linguini with clams, mussels, and proscuitto. The sauce offered with the seafood dish was buttery and perfect. We sopped it up with the bread. Spaghetti and meatballs were amazing. I’ve had many meatballs in my time, and these were among the very best.
A photo booth ($ 5) and arcade are also available. Bathrooms are clean. I can’t think of a negative thing to say.

This place feels like the 90s. Cute non-​hipster, non-​fancy, non-«third-wave» type spot. Pasta doesn’t taste like it is made fresh, which is lame considering it costs about $ 15 for a plate of spaghetti and meatballs. The food is decent, but you could easily make it at home. Lines are long on the weekends.

Some days I have a craving that can only be satisfied by one thing in the entire world. You might question how different or amazing a caesar salad can be, but Emmy’s stands alone. It is that good. So good that I’m willing to dish out $ 17 for my favorite takeout, despite the sometimes arrogant, sometimes sloppy, sometimes indifferent, sometimes truly atrocious service.
The front of house* interview for new hires, must go something like this:
1) Is your temperament best suited for ANY job besides customer service?
2) Do you hate kind people?
3) Do give zero f*cks?
«Yes, to all three? You’re hired».
*Back of house seems genuinely more suited for customer service and since they’re the ones making the delicious salad, any stars salvaged are thanks to them.
The spaghetti and meatballs is fine, I’d rate it slightly above average.
The shack itself is cute, has a very authentic, ambiance-​rich feel… (but be warned, the dishes/​restroom/​tables sometimes leave something to be desired when it comes hygiene).

I ordered their spagetti With meatballs via one of those food delivery services. I have actually been meaning to try Emmy’s for a long time. Anyways their spagetti and meatballs is amazing, the portions are pretty big too and I had enough left over for lunch the next day! It tasted even better as a left over :) the meat balls were seasoned well and the sauce was good. Very simple and delicious !

We got the spaghetti+meatballs and the zoodles. The portions were large, and the food DELICIOUS! Spaghetti+meatballs were tasty and I can see why everyone raves about it. What I think needs more raving is the zoodles dish! The zoodles were refreshing, soooo flavorful, and provided a nice contrast to the heartier spaghetti+meatballs.
The ambiance was loud and kinda hipster. Make sure to make recommendations or come early enough to beat the crowd! I was there with a couple of friends and could honestly only hear the person sitting right next to me.
Also, parking was a painnnnnn. Secret tip: We parked at the Safeway nearby and walked over (shhhh)

I came here with a friend in late March and Dana Marie was our waitress. She was the RUDEST server ever and I was never treated so badly in a restaurant before. She gave us attitude when I asked for separate checks — how hard is it to make a separate check? Just think of it like you’re writing a whole new check for another table — are you that lazy and incompetent? While we were eating and nowhere finished, she asked if we wanted boxes. WE WERE STILL EATING. Then, she kept ignoring my friend who wanted more bread and was more interested in talking to the other waitstaff than actually doing her job, but FINALLY brought over bread and olive oil with balsamic vinegar. Due to a health concern, my friend couldn’t have balsamic vinegar in her olive oil and Dana never came back with a new bowl of just olive oil so my friend got up and got it herself. Then after we were finally finishing up, Dana comes over without saying anything and literally snatches all our plates with such hostility and attitude while spilling the oil on the table and not bothering to clean it up. (The oil eventually made a trail because the tables were not leveled.) She also never came by to ask how our food was or how we were doing. We get your job is hard lady, but do ***NOT*** take it out on your fellow patrons. We even complained not even realizing Dana Marie was the manager (oh brother!) and not surprising, Dana never came around to apologize. I think that says a lot about her as a person.
As far as the food goes, it’s fine but nothing to really rave about. Their meatballs may be bigger but bigger doesn’t always mean better — amirite?! Just because of Dana Marie, she ruined this whole experience for me. Never again.
I also agree with the menu — it’s extremely hard to read because it’s so amateur. It’s not even nicely illustrated and the handwriting is not only awful penmanship but very illegible. What a huge turn off.

Got it delivered and it was very good.
Spaget with meatballs, I know, not authentic but who cares? It was yummy and there were 3 balls. When was the last time you saw that?
Well composed sauces, very nice pasta (not to thick/​thin) and well stuffed.
As were we. Well done!
Enjoy!

Solid.
Going by many previous reviews, I got lucky at Emmy’s last night.
Wait time? Zero. We were addressed & seated immediately after walking in. Granted it was early, around 6:00, but it was still a Saturday night. Score.
Staff issues? Zero. The hostess was cool. Our server was cool. Score.
Pressure? Time management? We were not even remotely rushed. Despite it becoming totally packed w a wait at the door long before we finished. Score.
I went w the signature dish. Because… when in Rome. Good spaghetti & meatballs. Mind blowing? No. But good. The marinara sauce was subtly flavored, & just zesty enough to do its job of covering the pasta.
The meatballs were on point w texture. They were nice & tender, while being thoroughly cooked. The bread in them comes through though, & I prefer a meatier meatball. No harm, no foul.
The meatball sandwich was surprisingly the superior dish. The addition of fresh basil, provolone, & ciabatta bread elevated the meatballs & the marinara sauce to a higher level. The basil cut out some of the sweetness in the sauce, for the better. It just worked out so well. Score.
All in all, Emmy’s is a solid, super casual joint. The vibe? Italian diner. I thought it was a cross between The Gold Spike & Sparky’s. Both of those restaurants are gone now (Sparky’s maybe only temporarily), but it looks like they had a kid, & her name is Emmy’s.
3 stars.

One of the best oldies but goodies in the Bay. In a new bigger space but the spaghetti and meatballs hasn’t changed. I love it, simple and delicious in a big portion! One of the best.

Was pretty excited to try this place because I love spaghetti and meatballs. Love it together and without. Emmy’s is a super cute and charming place. Even the menu is super cute and colorful. But the dishes we order wasn’t amazing. Not saying it was not good but its just okay. The spaghetti and meatballs was really good but there isn’t a wow factor. The garlic bread was good and a nice addition to the pasta dish.

So much for my low carb diet. Friends brought me here and since I hadn’t been, everyone recommended their classic spaghetti and meatballs. First thought: HUGE portion size. I eat a lot, and this was easily good for 2 – 3 meals. I gave my leftovers to a homeless guy, because since we have none in Orange County, it made me feel altruistic and fuzzy on the inside. But I digress.
The food was good. The fried cheese ball app thingy was decadent, the main course was very good (and very clearly made with butter), and the donut dessert was honestly mediocre. Service was friendly and a bit sassy, which was fine. All in all, nothing totally blew me away, but very good food besides the dessert.

Took the family (wife, 2 kids) to Emmy’s for the first time last weekend.
Summary: spoiled by poor pricing. Won’t be going again.
The décor is cool — hipster spagetti shop but kid friendly. A little dark, but kids of crayons and there is a photo booth and pinball to keep them busy for a while.
Ordered kids spag/​meat ball to the 2xunder 4 kids to share, the 10 $ mozerella balls apt and a couple of mains. Food was honest and tasty, but we were bummed out by a few things:
— mozzarella balls for $ 10 turned up and they were «5 balls, the width of a quarter» with a splash of ranch and red sauce on the side. Less than 20 seconds and they had gone — it was literally a ‘pop in the mouth and its gone’ taster. We assumed the 10 $ was a misread and that this was 5 $, although even that would have been a little rough for what was 50c of food in a fryer.
— kids meal was larger than both our mains! even though they shared and mum and dad ate a lot, we had a good take home container. I don’t know many kids that could eat that much — teenagers however!!!
— waitress when asked about the mozz ball pricing said «email emmy» and left us to it.
Its not 1 star, but neither will we be back soon.

When you’re in the mood for a good, hearty bowl of spaghetti and meatballs, Emmy’s is where you go. I’d never been to the old location but enjoyed the casual décor and vibe of this one. Service was friendly. I’d definitely come back when I’m looking for home style Italian food.

My favorite Spaghetti restaurant. It’s well worth the wait and the drive and parking headache. My heart breaks every time I eat spaghetti at other restaurants because they just can’t compare to Emmy’s!

Love Emmy’s! Their bread is the best and the classic spaghetti and meatballs is classic for a reason!

Hungry for casual spaghetti without fuss — this is your place! I like to see a restaurant focus on something and do it well, and that is the case here. We both had the Emmy’s classic spaghetti — nothing too fancy, just hearty thick noodles stained red from being tossed in a savory sauce. The garlic bread was also tasty but be prepared to smell like cloves of garlic the rest of the night. Ambience was also nice and chill, if you are looking for romantic candlelight and white linens, head to North Beach. They offer corkage as well as a selection of wines, and beers, and soju/​wine cocktails, no other liquor.

Unique spot! This place serves delicious pasta dishes in a raucous bar-​like setting. Their menus are handwritten and delightfully hard to read. We ordered an Italian Chianti that was decent for $ 10/​glass. My husband got the classic spaghetti and meatballs which was delicious. I ordered the fall pappardelle which was butternut squash and Italian sausage in a creamy-​esque sauce. It was good although cream sauces are so rich it’s hard to eat more than a few bites.
All in all I thought this place was really fun, and the only reason I gave 4-​stars instead of 5 is because you end up paying $ 17 or so for a plate of spaghetti. Which isn’t necessarily ridiculous by San Francisco standards, but still seems a little silly!

We enjoyed our meal here. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s perfect for a rainy day. If they have the minestrone, definitely get it!

Finally tried this place with friends last night.
Service was terrific with friendly servers all around.
Ambiance was chill and spacious in this former Zócalo location.
Food was solid homestyle Italian-​American. Iffa yooa crayvinga trua Italian cookinga thena yooa musta goa tooa Capannina onna Union Streeta.
Thinka Primo anda Secondo in Big Night.

Emmy’s, how I love thee! Yummy pasta, friendly staff, cool vibe. I’ve tried the habanero risotto and their classic spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread. Both fantastic. They also make a good cocktail that’s a twist on a Moscow Mule. Ignore any bunk ass reviews of this joint. Those people have no idea what they’re talking about.

This place is a joke. So disappointing and the regret of choosing this place as out first meal in SF!
Nothing special at all about the Spaghetti or the Orecchiette (bland).
Thumbs up on the garlic bread though. You cant go wrong there, I guess.

First time here since it moved to the next block. I must say its pretty big now and it still has the great ambience.
I made reservations here on Unilocal and they were very persistent and texted me a confirmation. I was running about 20 mins late bc I was stuck in downtown traffic and they were still able to hold a table for me which was wonderful as I was a bit stressed about running late.
As my friends and I arrived, they seated us fairly quickly and were very nice. We ordered sherbet temples and beer which was great bc they have a great selection of drinks. Our main dish was spaghetti and meatballs and this is a to die for dish you must order. It’s a big portion and the meatballs have sort of a meatloaf flavor which makes it amazing. I’m sure this is a great plate if you want to leave with some left overs and you will not regret it.
We also ordered orecchiette with panchetaa with asparagus in Asiago sauce with yummy bread crumbs on top. This is amazing. The portion is not so big but it is just enough. This is another plate you must try!
Dessert: cinnamon doughnut! It’s a home made cinnamon doughnut with caramel sauce on top and strawberries on the side. It was amazing! I would suggest to share this dessert we shared it between 3of us and it hit the spot!
I must say I will be coming here more often and thank you to the staff for being so kind!

Went and had spaghetti and meatballs here last night and loved it! Been wanting to try this place for a while so I’m super glad I went in. They have great customer service, good food and drinks were good as well. If you like a good michelada have one here! It was one of the best I’ve ever had :) I will def be back soon

Duh, get the meatballz.
But that steak, well it’s the tops.
Booths are the right vibe.

The ambiance — eclectic cool old school — pretty casual — I like!
The food — could use a little more flavor, but good enough to come back. Ordered the spaghetti with meatballs and the caesar salad.
The service — Ryan really let us down. We were excited about the yummy free bread and kindly asked him for some. He said they are most likely out, but that he would ask the kitchen. He said they had none so we ordered garlic bread (which we didn’t love). On our way out we noticed two boxes of the free bread (in separate places) half full. I mean seriously…
This is my first complain about service review — but that’s bc it directly affected my food intake. Don’t mess with yummy!

This spaghetti shack is really close to my temporary living situation in the Mission, so we walked here for dinner one night.
The place is small, so if you arrive late, you risk not having a table. It was a friendly neighbor hood joint.
There are many spaghetti options on the menu, but my bf and I shared the spaghetti and meatballs and a grilled pear salad. The food was solid, but nothing mind blowing.
What I found slightly annoying is that they make no substitutions, so I couldn’t switch the blue cheese in my salad out for goat cheese. They also charge additional for extra pieces of house bread (which you only get a few very small pieces to begin with). Not that I was going to ask for extra, but seeing that on the menu was slightly annoying.
It’s a good place for families with children, as children get to eat for free before 7PM on weekdays!

Spaghetti is my favorite meal. Thank you so much for not f’ng it up but actually making me feel like all others I’ve tried have been failed attempts.
Emmys is fantastic. I love everything about it except that I didn’t find it sooner. Service is on point. The servers are friendly and fun. The table next to us had a family with kids and that had someone dressed up like Santa doing balloon animals.
He was incredibly sweet.
The local art on the walls is amazing and I considered buying a piece while I was there.
The menu is great. Some really original stuff. While the spaghetti and meatballs is a must have, I could do without the fried boccancini. It was small portioned and nothing to brag about.
The spaghetti comes premixed and it’s saucy but I love that. They pile on the parm so be sure to request if off if you don’t want it. The garlic bread is pure heaven but definitely strong.
If you’re a pasta eater, please try Emmys and you’ll never feel the same.

I used to live 3 doors up from Emmy’s when it was on Virginia Ave. and loved it. The new location is great — much bigger and more comfortable. The spaghetti and meatballs was just as delicious as it was way back then!
We came on a Saturday with a large group. Reservation process was easy and accommodating. Our table was ready right on time and everything ran smoothly. Food, drinks, and staff were all around great!
Thanks Emmy for a fun Saturday night with friends!

If you’re going to the spaghetti shack, I guess you better get the spaghetti. What we ordered — the beet salad and orecchiette — was decent but nothing to match the enthusiasm of other reviews. This is a loud, somewhat chaotic place that reminds me of little places I used to go in my 20s to drink too much and talk too loudly. For a couple of gals in their 40s wanting a nice meal before a show in the mission, this didn’t quite fit the bill. But it was fairly cheap and filled us up. Mission accomplished!

So I obviously had to come here because this is the only restaurant I’ve heard of that I share a name with. But regardless of the name, I would’ve come here because of the amazing pasta being served every night. I read on Unilocal that I could split the Emmy’s Spaghetti and Meatballs with one other person and be completely satisfied. However, boys are boys, and my boyfriend didn’t want to split just one dish so we ordered the Butternut Squash and Italian Sausage Pappardelle in addition the the Spaghetti. Well, the Unilocalers were right and we would have been fine splitting the spaghetti. but I was really happy to taste the pappardelle :) Plus I got to have leftovers for lunch the next day!
Their service is very good as well. You can tell that servers love working at Emmy’s and have been around for a while. To me, you can always tell a good restaurant by how their servers feel about the place. Our server gave us excellent recommendations, though I don’t know that you can go wrong with anything that you order.
Definitely a solid place in the Mission to grab some delicious pasta. I’ll be back!

I’ve been here several times and I’m finally writing down my opinion. I came here recently with my girlfriend for dinner. There was a line, but I made same day reservations through their online system. It was very easy process and we didn’t have to wait more than 5 minutes before getting seated. That’s a plus for their system.
We ordered the prawn ceviche and a spaghetti with meatballs to share. Be advised, the portions are large. The ceviche was very good, a perfect balance of heat and tanginess. But taste buds were salivating as a I ate. Then came the spaghetti with meatballs next, which is hard not to like. On the dish was three giant meatballs surrounding the pasta with marinara sauce. Not overly sauced, delicious and warming. Thanks for this great dinner. I will return.

Last time I’ve been to Emmy’s was probably around 2011 but decided to give them another go as take out this time. We decided on the spaghetti with meatballs and one order was certainly enough for two. As we remember it it arrived largely portioned, with hot, massive meatballs and a tangy sauce. S & MB isn’t a particularly inspiring dish but it did its job. Should have gone for the garlic bread but decided against it since we were indulging in carbs with the spaghetti alone.
There are other pasta dishes that look tantalizing (Rasta Pasta!). I guess Emmy’s back on the rotation!

While I would like to rate Emmy’s higher, the service was so awful that I simply cannot. It’s a shame too because the food we were served was good. But the food that never came, the wine I wasn’t able to order (I couldn’t go uncork it for myself!) and the dessert we were never able to order will forever remain a mystery… Luckily we went to Mitchell’s ice cream around the corner. They were packed and still offered 5 star service. Unlike our server, Kaitlin, who clearly doesn’t understand what it means to be a waitress… She was simply AWFUL.
Caesar Salad
Rasta Pasta
Prawn Habanero Risotto
Orecchiette Pasta with asiago cream sauce with pancetta and asparagus
The meatballs, chocolate truffle cake and whatever yummy wine = all of unknown quality and taste since our waitress who was:
NOT friendly
NOT interested in our table (she was too busy talking to what appeared to be the female manager while she ate for the entire duration of our visit).
She never once asked if everything was okay.
She never once asked us if we wanted anything (I mean ANYTHING) after we placed our order. (Hence my inability to order wine or dessert or to even learn WTF my meatball order was!)
Lack of service and being IGNORED the entire time. What a lousy experience. I couldn’t get anything from her whether it was fresh ground pepper for my Orecchiette, more water or the stuff they sell. Didn’t matter!
NEVER AGAIN after this experience.

After driving by their old location all the time and hearing stories of my mom taking us here when my bros and I were little, I decided to give her a go. The spaghetti and meatballs is really good. Not the best I have ever had, that would be Mary’s Pizza Shack in Santa Rosa, but maybe a second place winner? It’s true, unadulterated food. The pasta is cooked perfectly and is evidently finished cooking in a pan with the marinara sauce, just as it should be. The balls are big, not the biggest I have had, but decently large. The plethora of chopped parsley and Parm on top is nice and, really, I wouldn’t change a thing except maybe a little lighter texture to the balls like what you would get using a panade.
The shrimp and habanero risotto is OK, nothing to write home about. The extreme lemon and wine flavor definitely cuts through the over-​richness that this sort of dish can impart, BUT, I actually missed the creaminess, not much at all here folks. And, not that I would expect a traditionally made risotto, made to order, but there I’m not even sure this was Arborio rice at all and it’s definitely a par-​cooked risotto that is revived and reheated with wine. No harm, no foul, but I wouldn’t order this again. Also, the shrimp was overcooked.
I had a class of the sparkling rose because I wasn’t sure if I was going to order white wine sauce or red sauce and it was good.
The focaccia on the table is great but it discouraged us from ordering the garlic bread and, judging by the aromas wafting around, THAT is the winner winner item at Emmy’s. Next time I will go with a buddy and order one entrée and the cheesy garlic bread to share.

Unpretentious (un·pre·ten·tious) –an adjective whose definition is:
not attempting to impress others with an appearance of greater importance, talent, or culture than is actually possessed.
Get prepared to walk into a San Francisco original. No attitude allowed please. All are welcome to peruse their graffiti inspired menus while a Pandora play list blares from the overhead speakers.
Dimly lit with what looked like outdoor deck lights strung with vintage aprons overhead, you’ll sit in vinyl booths set against red walls covered with painted canvasses of SF memorabilia.
Your tattooed server will immediately bring you a small plate of focaccia bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping.
We opted to get the 40oz bottle of Budweiser to share while we munched on the cheesy garlic bread that we ordered to start. Our server, Laura, was excellent! Such a sweetie – great sense of humor too.
I couldn’t resist ordering the plate that they are famous for— spaghetti and meatballs. The menu reads «3 big balls» are included.
My partner ordered the orechiette with pancetta, asparagus and an Asiago cream sauce.
Three stars for the food. They really do try. There’s a nice wine list too.
Dessert was an «okay» cinammon donut with Mitchell’s vanilla ice cream. It presented well but the donut tasted a few days old…
If you want to experience a hipster, Mission, «cool» place with great service and nice people, then head on out to Emmy’s Spaghetti Shack.

OHHH MY HOLY MEATBALLS!
WOW!!!
This place is small and FULL. Apparently, everyone knows abt this place.
The night before we were just chillin’ at my brothers place watching «24hours of gluttony» these two Asian guys eating at 24 places in 24 hours. The episode we watched was of course the SF. I saw they stopped by this place, and HAD to come here and check out the meatballs!
Boy, was I amazed! Homemade spaghetti with meatballs the size of a tennis ball! So flavorful and YUMMY!!!
Even though the wait was long, it was sure worth it!
We also ordered a bottle of sangria, Stuffed jalapeño peppers and for dessert the OMG Peanut butter bar!
EVERYTHING is DELICOUS!!!
Our waitress was awesome also!!!

I’m a huge spaghetti and meatballs junkie and this place really satisfied my cravings. This place uses excellent ingredients that radiate throughout the recipes.
Food: The pasta is fresh and balances well with the sauce. The meatballs are blended nicely and well seasoned. Next time, I’m ordering an extra! Best of all the spaghetti and meatballs is only around $ 11. The garlic bread is also noteworthy. A nice balance of buttery, cheesy and good ‘ol deliciousness.
Experience: I usually try to get there 5 minutes before they open but I’ve also been there when the waits been about an hour. The service isn’t spectacular but they are friendly enough. I could tell try to get you in and out but I did not feel rushed through my meal by any means.
Location: I imagine parking can be a problem since the location boarders a residential area. I didn’t have any trouble but I could have very well gotten lucky.
This is more of a 3.5 star place to me but I’m rounding up because their food is just as good to-​go.